“You cannot serve God and wealth”

Jesus’ clear statement ending this Sunday’s gospel reading may seem confusing, given the story he has just told about the shonky dealings of a dishonest estate manager. If so, it is probably because we misunderstand the story in its ancient setting. The manager in this story is commended by his master, and implicitly by Jesus, for acting wisely. He puts relationships above capital accumulation, showing a clear understanding of his master’s values (and the whole point of being rich) and crafting a clever solution that was win-win for all involved. A worthy example of wise dealing, says Jesus, even for won followers who have a different set of values!Confused? You can listen to my exposition of the passage here….Howard Pilgrim